To Love an Enemy
by RK-Armageddon
Summary: Alia is a Rebel medic, deployed to Endor to destroy the shield generator. After the destruction of the Death Star, she wanders lost through the forest until she stumbles upon a crashed Imperial shuttle, and an injured Stormtrooper. Oneshot, Slash, F!Rebel!OC x F!Stormtrooper!OC


Alia stood amidst the great trees around her, the beauty of their swaying branches and vibrant needles contrasting with the smoke and death lying beneath them. She held her helmet limply in one hand, staring down at the empty faces of dead Rebels, Stormtroopers, and even a few little Ewoks. In her other hand she clutched her medic bag, its purpose useless against such wanton death and destruction.

Alia had flown in with the advanced rebel forces that were to assault the shield generator that was protecting the Death Star. She was assigned to 2nd squad, of Green company. Now, because of the Imperial ambush, she was the final one still standing with a green circle emblazoned upon her shoulder.

Alia was not an advanced trooper in the slightest. In fact, she hated fighting, so much so that she had taught herself how to prevent it and fix the damage caused by it. The blaster pistol on her thigh was more a prop than weapon, it being forced into her hands by her squad leader that morning.

2nd squad's original medic, Torik, had been killed in the battle of Saleucami. She had been told he died bravely, protecting wounded until his dying breath. Alia was not like Torik, not at all, and all of 2nd squad knew it. She had only been chosen for this mission because of her medical capability, not her bravery or battlefield prowess.

It had been an hour, maybe two, since the destruction of the second Death Star, the enormous explosion lighting up the sky being unmistakable. With the shockwave that followed, it further cemented the fact that the Rebels had did it. They won.

Alia felt no sense of victory as she stood in that forest. Only a deep rooted sense of loss, anger, and confusion. The fact that so many had to die to have peace.

She forced herself to survey her surroundings. With her entire squad dead and her communicator lying lost somewhere in the underbrush, she had no way of making it back to the rebel forces. As the fact that she might die alone, forgotten in the forest, entered her mind, she heard a horrid screeching sound above her.

Streaking through the air, trailing flames and smoke, was what looked like an Imperial shuttle. It banked hard as it passed above her, trying vainly to avoid a particularly large tree, but it wasn't enough. One of its wings clipped the tree, and the shuttle went crashing down.

Alia didn't know what possessed her to run towards the wreckage, but run she did. It turned out being farther than she thought, as she trekked a good kilometer or so before she found the shuttle.

The cockpit was a twisted ruin, partially buried in the dirt. The wing that had clipped the tree lay a good 50 meters from the main body. Alia approached cautiously. It didn't look like there were survivors, but she decided to be careful anyway. Perhaps she could find a communicator, or a speeder inside to help her get back to the rendezvous point.

The loading door on the side of the shuttle lay open, barely connected to the ship by a creaking piston. Alia drew her pistol, her heart beating madly, as she stepped onto the ship.

It was dark inside, the darkness occasionally alleviated by broken, sparking wires. Alia had to feel around for a few seconds before her eyes adjusted. To her left, lying limp, was an Imperial officer, still strapped into his chair. He wasn't moving. Alia slowly reached up, feeling the pulse point on his neck, while keeping her pistol trained on him. Nothing. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Just then, she heard a quiet, distorted moan.

Alia immediately whipped around, pointing her pistol in every which direction, only to find nothing. She heard the moan again, this time through the opposite side of the ship. She slowly walked over the collapsed crates in the walkway, and opened the hatch door. Below her she could see a large hole, torn apart by the crash. She dropped down through it, again pointing her pistol every which way. She took one step backward, and her foot hit something solid. A scream erupted from behind her.

Alia shrieked herself, turning so fast she slipped and fell backwards onto the ground. She trained her pistol on the figure in front of her, sitting in the gloom. Alia immediately recognized it as a Stormtrooper.

The trooper was lying limp against the side of the ship, one gloved hand clutching a large metal rod, that was protruding from their abdomen. The figure coughed hard, before a modulated voice pierced the darkness.

"Come to finish me off, Rebel scum?" they asked. Alia heard the voice had a very feminine edge to it, and realized the trooper must be a woman. "Make it quick."

With that, the trooper's head drooped forward, effectively awaiting their end. Alia continued to stare down the sights of her pistol at the trooper, her finger around the trigger, and tried to make sense of the situation. The trooper was injured, unarmed, and helpless. And she wanted Alia to kill her.

Alia took a few quick breaths, closed her eyes, and…nothing. Her arm dropped like a stone, the pistol falling out of her hand. The trooper looked up at that, perhaps curious why the Rebel hadn't executed her yet. Alia felt hot tears running down her face.

"I c-can't," she stuttered. "I've seen too much death today to warrant any more. Too much."

She glanced down beside her. Next to the discarded pistol was her medic bag. Seeing that, Alia made up her mind. She stood up, moving over to the trooper. The trooper seemed nervous, but much too weak to act on it. Alia reached up, moving to remove the trooper's helmet. She didn't resist as Alia lifted it off.

Alia was somewhat shocked at what she saw. Beneath the helmet was an extraordinarily beautiful woman. She looked close to Alia's own age of 24, with white blonde hair tied into a low bun at her neck. Her features were so fine and delicate Alia wondered why this woman was a Stormtrooper and not some wealthy planet's princess. And her eyes, her eyes were breathtaking. One was a vibrant green, nearly glowing in the gloom, and the other a deep, deep blue.

A stream of blood marred her perfect features, running from her full pink lips into her thermal undersuit. And those beautiful eyes were full of pain and confusion. Alia reached behind her into her medic bag, which the trooper now just happened to notice. She tensed up at first, then seemed to relax somewhat when she caught sight of the unmistakable red cross printed on the side.

Alia extracted two sillum shots, which she held up to the trooper. "This will dull the pain," she said. She prepped the first one and plunged it into the trooper's neck. The trooper flinched, then almost instantly relaxed, her eyes fluttering.

'W-why are you doing this?" she asked, sounding more surprised than angry. Alia found she liked her voice very much without the helmet. It was soft and melodious. Alia wondered if she could sing.

"Because I took an oath," Alia said as she was flicking the second shot. She plunged it into the other side of the trooper's neck. "To heal and help others, no matter the cost, or the situation. And also, I've seen enough death today for the entire galaxy. I won't see anymore had by me."

The trooper twitched underneath Alia's warm hand on her neck. Her lovely face grimaced. "And what if I betray you? Shoot you in the back? Report you to my superiors?"

Alia didn't answer, taking a hold or the trooper's shoulders, before wrenching her forward. The trooper shrieked in agony, falling forward as the metal bar was wrenched once again through her body. But this time it came out, instead of going in. Alia had already caught her, and was filling the wound with bacta foam as the trooper blathered incoherently. Without the sillum shots numbing the pain, she would have surely passed out by now. Alia carefully sat her back up, letting her lean against her own body. She reached behind her, retrieving her blaster pistol. She looked at it a moment, before offering it to the trooper, grip first. The trooper looked at it, then Alia, in disbelief.

"If that is what you want, I'm not stopping you," Alia said calmly. The trooper immediately grabbed the pistol, pointing it at Alia despite still lying in her arms. She stared down the Rebel medic, desperately trying to come to terms with what was happening. This woman saved her life just now, she knew enough about medical practices to know that much. And in return, she was offering her life to the one she just saved. The trooper thought now to what she had witnessed mere hours earlier, the destruction of the Empire's super weapon. All of her friends, colleagues, superiors, the Emperor himself, gone. Just like that. Tears blurred in her eyes as she looked up at the medic. She dropped the pistol to the ground, going limp in her arms.

"I've had my fill of death as well."

-[]-[]-[]-

Alia had formed a meager campsite from materials she found in the wreckage. After prying open a few crates, she had found some blankets, food, water, and an unbelievable amount of power cells and thermal detonators. She thanked the Force above they weren't active, otherwise instead of a crash, there'd be a crater. Even then, she had pulled the crates out of the shuttle and tied them up a good distance away.

She had built a little fire from wood and twigs in the underbrush, the flames kept at bay by some large rocks and small pieces of the shuttle. She used branches and more debris, along with the blankets, to build a sort of tent that she had put the trooper in. She had passed out shortly after exiting the shuttle. While she was unconscious, Alia took the opportunity to remove the trooper's torso armor, so a to properly bandage her wound. That took a good bit of time, seeing as how she had never worked with the armor before. But get it off she did. As she worked, Alia kept catching herself glancing at the trooper's face. What could have driven a woman of such beauty to join the Imperial Legion? Was she forced? Was she a patriot? Did she just run out of options? Alia didn't know, and she didn't think she ever would.

Alia had learned the trooper's name, or at least ID, from her helmet. KT-6571. Alia had just taken to calling her KT in her head.

Alia was chewing on a protein bar, staring at the fire when Kate awoke. Alia immediately rushed to her side, bar forgotten, as she heard her moan in pain.

"Take it easy, there. You need to heal," she said, gently pushing on the woman's shoulder as she tried to rise. The woman looked down, one hand running along the bandages wrapped around her waist.

"You know, I don't think I ever thanked you, for saving my life," KT said, relaxing back onto the ground. She gave Alia a slight smile. "So, thank you. I never thought in a million rotations that I'd be saved by a Rebel."

Alia felt her cheeks grow warm and her heart pick up at the sight. She was even more beautiful when she smiled, the austere coldness that always seemed present on her face melting away. She was so distracted by the new expression she forgot to answer. The trooper seemed to notice.

"See something you like, medic?" she asked, a slight tease in her voice.

Alia blushed harder. "Yes…I mean no, no. Yeah. And my name is Alia, actually. Alia Dalrey."

"KT-6571, pleasure," said KT smugly. Her brows furrowed. "By chance, are you Nabooian?"

Alia gasped. "How do you know?"

"Dalrey is a Naboo name. I was deployed there for a few weeks during the Celebration of the Emperor," KT said. Alia looked at her with newfound interest.

"My father was a minister of Naboo. He met my mother after a visit to Coruscant." Alia didn't know what possessed her to tell this to KT, but she couldn't stop talking. "He always told me, it was love at first sight. She was an aide to a member of the Banking Clan. She ran away to be with him when the conferences ended."

Alia looked down at her hands, which had started to shake. "They…they were executed by the Empire shortly after the end of the Clone Wars, for some political reason. Been on my own ever since."

KT felt a stab of, well, something unpleasant, pierce her gut, not unlike the rod that had occupied that spot mere hours ago. Her glorious Empire, the protector and savior of the Galaxy, had murdered a little girl's parents out of spite. KT fiddled with her fingers awkwardly.

"I'm, very sorry to hear that," she said, and was surprised to realize she meant it. Alia only nodded, her arms wrapping around her small body. KT felt the wind picking up, whistling through the forest, and saw the last tinges of sunlight glinting through the trees. She glanced from the blankets beside her, to the tent opening, to Alia, then back again before making her decision.

"Here," she offered, lifting the blanket up beside her. "Get in, it's getting cold."

Alia looked up at that, immediately looking nervous.

"No, that's okay, I can just set up outside and leave you be…"

KT grabbed the girl's arm, and she stopped talking. KT smiled. "I insist."

Alia glanced one final time at the tent flap, before gingerly lying down beside the Stormtrooper, facing away from her. KT scooted up behind her, effectively becoming the big spoon. "Get some sleep. We have to find some way to get out of this forest tomorrow," whispered KT. She smiled when she realized her Rebel was already out cold.

-[]-[]-[]-

KT-6571 awoke with something tickling her nose. She immediately leaned up, her hand going for a blaster that wasn't there, only to have all of the previous day's events rush back to her, along with a splitting pain in her torso. The attack on Endor, the destruction of the Death Star, her ship being shot down, being severely injured, and…Alia.

KT looked down to find the Rebel medic still soundly asleep beside her. She was curled up in a tight ball, her long brown hair escaping from its tight ponytail. KT realized that Alia's hair was what must've awoken her. KT still couldn't quite believe the events that placed her where she was. All because of a Rebel.

She noticed Alia's blaster lying by the foot of the tent. She could easily grab it, and end the medic's life without her ever knowing. It would be quick, painless. Alia didn't seem to mind dying the previous day anyway. But as much as KT stared at the blaster, she couldn't see herself actually killing Alia. The girl stirred something in her, something she thought the Empire's training had already beaten out. Perhaps it was the kindness. Perhaps it was the absurd situation she was in. Or perhaps it was the absolutely adorable way the girl looked when she was asleep. In any case, KT felt something towards this Rebel. And she liked it.

KT gently shook the sleeping girl's shoulder. "Mmm…five more minutes Drygar…"

KT was confused for a moment, until she realized Drygar must be a comrade of hers. Or just mumbled nonsense, she wasn't quite sure. She shook her again. "Wake up soldier," she demanded in her best commanding voice.

Alia shot up, her face somewhat panicked. "Yes, Sergeant!" she said, before looking around blearily. Her eyes found KT's and she scowled. "Not funny," she muttered, moving to get up. KT was chuckling softly to herself at the reaction, before starting to cough as the action jarred her injury. Alia's face morphed from annoyance to worry in an instant. She grabbed her medic bag, extracting another sillum shot. "Here, I'll…"

KT grabbed her hand, pushing the shot down. "I'm fine, I don't need any more of that," she stated resolutely. She made to get up, and nearly stumbled from the lash of pain in her stomach, her face turning pale. Alia gently guided her back down, before administering the shot in KT's exposed arm. KT relaxed as the healing drug took hold again.

"I don't think you're well enough to move just yet," Alia said. "Perhaps another day of rest."

KT was about to demand they move, as she needed to report to her commander, until she realized she no longer had a commander. Or a mission. Or a home. In actuality, all she had left was her white Stormtrooper armor, still blackened with ash and dirt. At this thought, she slumped, tears forming in her eyes. Alia noticed.

"Oh no, is something wrong? Are you still in pain? I think I have one shot left in here somewhere…"

"No," KT cut her off. "It's not that. I just…I don't have anything, anywhere…I…"

Then she really started crying. She hated herself for it, as she was a Trooper in the Grand Army of the Empire, but cry she did. She hardly noticed as warm arms encircled her, but she clutched to them desperately, trying to fill the emptiness that now existed inside her.

Alia held the broken Stormtrooper tight, knowing all too well the pain of the loss she was going through. "It'll be alright, KT. I promise, It'll be alright."

-[]-[]-[]-

The duo spent the day in their little camp, Alia helping KT to eat. She insisted that food and rest were the best things for her body to aid in healing. Throughout the day, both women, unbeknownst to the other, kept stealing glances at their unlikely companion. Alia still couldn't get over the trooper's beauty and accepting nature. KT couldn't get over her Savior's compassion and desire to do right.

Alia could feel an attraction for the Stormtrooper building that was definitely not just friendly companionship. It was a strong urge, to be near her, to talk to her, to pull even the tiniest reaction from her stoic demeanor. In her head, Alia knew it was wrong. KT was a woman, she was a patient, she was the damned _enemy_ , and yet Alia couldn't deny this strange yet wonderful urge.

To try and distract herself from the woman, Alia continued to search the crashed shuttle. The small fires caused from the engine block had gone out overnight, and the ship had gone cold. She salvaged a small datapad from a storage compartment, and was delighted to find it was a holomap of the area around the shield generator. With a few quick commands, she located her current position and that of the Rebel rendezvous point. Her heart soared, believing she actually had a chance of making it out of this mess. Her thoughts turned back to KT. Of getting _them_ out of this mess.

-[]-[]-[]-

KT was trying her hardest to keep her thoughts off Alia. She kept telling herself it was survivor's infatuation, that she only liked Alia this much because she had saved her. But in her heart she knew it was more than that, much more.

KT liked the Medic's doting. She liked the medic's kind demeanor. She liked the adorable blush that graced her cheeks every time she teased her. She liked her deep brown eyes, so full of emotion, though too much for a woman her age. She liked her vibrant smile, a smile that would light her whole face up. KT liked these things, these feelings, and yet she couldn't figure out where they were stemming from. Alia was a woman, a young woman who had experienced the horrors of the Galaxy firsthand. And she was a filthy Rebel, a traitor to the cause, an enemy of the Empire, scum. And yet KT couldn't bring herself to care.

Alia made her feel wanted, made her feel like a human being rather than a tool, something barely better than a droid. KT's heart fell when she realized that Alia could never know. She had two futures ahead of her; be captured by the rebels and likely executed, or returned to the Empire and thrown back into circulation. She dreaded either option, and decided to enjoy her current freedom while she could.

-[]-[]-[]-

It was another day of light conversation and awkward advances before Alia decided KT was well enough to move. She helped the trooper back into her armor, before handing her her helmet. As KT slid it back on, Alia gave a slight sigh, and mumbled something to herself.

"Now I can't see her beautiful face anymore," she said. KT had heard it loud and clear though, her HUD enhancing the quiet voice. She decided not to comment on it, but her heart jumped at the nature of the statement.

As she was fixing her gauntlets, Alia held something up to her. Her blaster pistol. KT stared at her questioningly. Even despite the helmet, Alia knew what she was thinking.

"You'd get more use out of it than me," she said. "They forced me to take this for the mission. I wont shoot anyone and you know that."

KT slowly took the blaster, before nodding in agreement. "Very well," she replied simply, affixing it to her utility belt. They took one last glance at the crash site, before moving out.

-[]-[]-[]-

They had been walking for perhaps two hours, following the holomap Alia had found, when KT heard a very distinct sound in the distance. _Speeder bikes_.

"Alia, run," KT suddenly said. Alia glanced back at her, confused.

"What?"

"I said run!" KT exclaimed, moving to push her away, but it was too late. The bikers had spotted them.

KT pushed Alia behind her as the two bikes pulled up in front of them. Sitting astride each one was a scout trooper, their signature helmets giving them away. One of them dismounted, drawing his blaster pistol.

"Trooper, what are you doing out here? Where is your unit?" he demanded. "And who is that behind you?"

He pointed at the still form behind KT. KT roughly pulled Alia out from behind her by the arm.

"This is my prisoner. We were transporting her to the command station when our ship was shot down. I have since been escorting her by foot."

The scout trooper didn't move. "Where are the prisoner's transfer documents?"

"Lost in the crash," said KT. Alia noticed her hand twitching towards the blaster on her belt. Would she kill these troopers, for her?

The scout trooper started approaching them. "Well, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

KT hesitated. "I can't do that."

The scout trooper raised his blaster pistol at them. "That is an order, trooper!"

KT looked down at a scared Alia, then back to the approaching trooper, then back to Alia. _Damn it all,_ she thought, and drew her blaster pistol. The scout saw this and made to fire, but KT had already dodged out of the way. The bolt zinged harmlessly over her shoulder. She tried to aim at the scout again, but he tackled her to the ground. They rolled into a pit, trading blows with one another, each trying to gain an advantage. The scout pinned KT to the ground with his legs, and with a vicious uppercut, knocked her helmet clean off. KT spat blood, and growled, pivoting to place herself over him. She reached behind her in her utility belt, extracting a beam knife. Its blade hummed with a thin laser along its length. She slowly pushed it towards the scouts neck, but he resisted, trying vainly to avoid the blade. She reversed her grip, punching the man in the side, before pushing again. The blade inched towards his neck again, and after a few seconds of struggle, it pierced the gap between armor plate and helmet. The scout gasped, and KT pushed one more time, making him go limp. She gasped, getting up off of his body, before hearing the other scout behind her.

"Hands up, traitor," he said. KT angrily turned around, knife in hand, only to witness a terrible sight.

The scout had one arm around Alia's throat, with the other pointing a blaster pistol at her. KT growled again.

"Let her go," she hissed through her teeth.

"Surrender your weapon," he said, gesturing at her knife. KT glanced at Alia, seeing silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She almost imperceptibly shook her head, as if saying no., don't risk your life for mine.

But KT wouldn't risk Alia for herself. She glared at him, but dropped her knife. The trooper nodded, then turned the blaster on Alia and fired. KT screamed as her friend crumpled to the ground. The scout had already turned to fire at her, but she was already running. She knocked the scout's blaster out of his hand, punched him across the helmet, then caught the blaster and fired. The man dropped like a stone. KT dropped the blaster and rushed to Alia's side.

"No no no," she muttered, rolling Alia over until she was face up. KT feared the worse. But then the girl coughed, and opened her eyes, and KT's heart soared. Alia stared up into the blue and green of KT's eyes, dazed. She then tore at her outer jacket, revealing a light armor plate across her chest. A similar one was affixed to her back, which had a black blaster scar on it. KT laughed in relief.

"You stupid Rebel," KT exclaimed, before leaning down and capturing Alia's lips with hers. Alia gasped, then relaxed into the embrace, clutching KT to her. KT leaned back up, wiping away tears she didn't know were there. "I thought he had killed you."

Alia smiled softly. "I've got more tricks than you realize," she said, before pulling the Stormtrooper back down to her, kissing her again. KT smiled beneath the kiss. Rebel scum.


End file.
